Pirates, Chiefs set for Soweto derby showdown

Soweto derby rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will meet for an Absa Premiership clash at FNB Stadium on 3 March 2018, kick-off at 15h30.

Pirates claimed a third win from their last four league matches by defeating Chippa United 4-2 in the Eastern Cape on February 25. The run of results took the Soweto side to second place on the log table.

The Buccaneers have claimed 20 points from 11 home matches this season, with their last game as hosts bringing them a 2-1 win over Maritzburg United in early February.

Chiefs played to their 11th draw of the season when they were held 0-0 at home by Bloemfontein Celtic on February 24. Despite the stalemate, the Soweto side is unbeaten in their last nine league matches and have picked up 19 points from a possible 27 in the sequence.

The Amakhosi have claimed 20 points from 11 away matches this season and have lost just once on the road: a 1-0 reverse at the hands of Chippa United in December last year.

In head-to-head stats, Chiefs and Pirates have met in 64 league matches since 1985. The Amakhosi have claimed 24 wins compared to 13 for the Buccaneers, while no less than 27 encounters have ended in draws. The team in black and white have won just seven of their 33 home matches in the rivalry, suffering 11 defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season they played out a goalless draw at ‘Soccer City’. It was the fourth successive league draw between Pirates and Chiefs, with the teams sharing the spoils in eight of their last 11 league meetings.